Reversible dead latch



Dec. 8, 1953 w. R. scHLAGE 2,661,972

n Y REVERSIBLE DEAD LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'Filed March 21, 1947 W. R. SCHLAGE REVERSIBLE DEAD LATCH Dec. 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March '21, 1947 Patented Dec. 8, 1953 2,561,972 REVERSIBLE DEAD LATCH Walter R; Schlage, deceased, late of Burlingame, Calif., by Anna Schlage, executrix, Burlingame, Calif., assignorv toA SchlageLock Company, Sanl Francisco, Calif., acorporation of California.

Application March 21, 1947, sesamo. 736,218

1o claims. (c1. 29e- 2.44).

This invention relates to a door lock', and especially to a reversible dead latohing mechanism therefor.

The object of the present inventicn is generally to improve and simplify the construction andA operation of dead latching mechanisms, and especially to provide a latching mechanism including a main latch bolt and a cooperatingfdead latch boltA both of which are reversible as a uni-t topermit either right or left hand installation of the door lock.

The invention is shown by wayof illustration in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reversiblev latch boltl unit;

Figure 2- is a perspective View of part of an actuating unit;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a deadlatching lever;

Figure l isa verticalA longitudinal section showing a doorV lock including the latch bolt mechanism, mounted in a door;

Figure 5 is a View-similar to and taken at rightY angles to Figure 4, portions of the mechanism being omitted;

' plate i5.

Figure 6 is a perspective view or a spring sup- Y porting plate;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a cup with one end plate assembled and another end plate in position for final assembly;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure e showing the parts in undogged position;

Figure 9 is a view similar tov and taken at right angles to Figure 8; and v Figure 10 is a perspective view of a main latch bolt and an associated retractor bar.

A door latch actuating unit A is inserted in a hole 3 drilled transversely in a door C, and a latch bolt unit B is inserted in a hole 4- drilledat" right angles to the hole 3 through the-edge oi the door; The unit A includes a fiat spindle har 5 which may berotated by a key mechanism, not shown, operated from the outside of the door orby a knob or turnpiece 6 disposed on the inside of the door. The unit A also includes a pair of anchor posts l, a pair of screws S, and escutcheon plates Sand' i0; The posts 'l and the screws 8 secure allfthe parts of theunit A in the transverse opening 3l ofy the door.

The unit B comprises a face plate Hl securedto 2 the edge of the door-by screws l2. Connected to the face plate is a cylindrical latch bolt housing i4 from the rear end of which projects an anchor A central opening in the anchor plate forms a journal for a double crank arm it actuatedv by the spindle bar il which extends therethrough. The anchor plate i5 at each end has an opening Il to receive the anchorfposts i oi unit A. When assembling the loci: ina door, the unit B .is lirst inserted in the opening :i with the anchor plate l5 projecting into-the transverse opening 3. Thparts of the unit A are then inserted into the opening 3- `with the posts l passingl through "the holes Il in the anchor plate and 'the spindle har 5 passing through a slot 5a in the crank arm It.

Then the screws 8A and the screws l2 are inserted and tightened. Thus both units A and B are secured in place and interlocked with eachv other.

Thel unit- B carries a main latch bolt 2t at its inner end connected toa retractor bar 2| projecting through the inner end' of the housing iii. The retractor bar' is channel shaped in cross section and has a pair of side Walls each provided with a notch 22. The crank arm it at its outer end carriesa pin ISa engaging the notches 22. When the crank` arm is swung by the spindle har 5'4 in thedirection of arrow a (see Figure 4)', pin lc retracts the bar together with the latch' colt 20; When the crank arm is released, the latch bolt 20 and the retractory bar 2i again assume their normal projected position as they are urged to do by a pair of springs 23 and 2i.

Pivotally mounted on a pin its spanning the sidewalls of the retractor bar 2i is a lever 2; formedwith a shoulder 26a. rEhis shoulder, under certain conditions, engages a dog 2t formed at the innerfend of the anchor plate i5, to dead loch the mainlatchv bolt 2li. The lever 25 has two extensions 21 and 28. A cup 29 is slidably mounted Within the latch bolt housing ifa. This cupy is normally pressed forwardly against the latch .bolt 20: by a springA 23 and in that position cams over or engages the lever extension 2l thereby swinging the lever 2-5 to lift the. shoulder 25a out of dogging engagement with the dog 2c.' in this undogged positionv of the lever 25, the main latch bolt is also und'ogged and may be depressed at will. When the cup 29y is moved out of engagement withl the extension 210i the lever 2c, the spring 24, in engagezfnentl with the extension 2t of the lever, swings the lever 25 into engagement with the dog 26, and so dogs the latch bolt against depression.

The cup 29 is actuated by two different members, the spring 23 and a dead latching bolt Sil. The spring 23 surrounds the retractor bar 2l and the lever is mounted between the side Walls thereof. The dead latching bolt 3l) has a hook in the path of the latch bolt 26 and so is depressed in unison with the main latch bolt when the main latch bolt engages a striker plate 3| in closing movement of the door. The bolt 39 stays depressed as long as the door is closed as there is no opening in the striker plate for the dead latching bolt 3d to extend into like the opening Ze A provided for the latch bolt 2%. After both bolts are depressed during door closure only the main bolt 2li again projects through the registering opening 263e in the striker plate. The dead latching bolt Si! abuts the striker plate 3i and is hel depressed. As the bolt 3l abuts the cup 29, it retains the cup 29 in innermost position out of engagement with the lever 25. The spring 2li' is thus free to hold the lever 25 in clogging position so as to maintain the main latch bolt 2i! deadlocked when the door is closed.

When the door is opened either by the key mechanism or the turnpiece S, a rotary movement is imparted to the spindle bar 5 to swing the crank arm i6 in the direction of the arrow a. The crank pin ita engages and lifts the inner end of the lever 25 free of the dog 26. Further movement of the pin ita causes it to engage in the notch 22 and pull the retractor bar and the main latch bolt inwardly free of the striker plate. When the key mechanism and the turnpieoe E are released, the springs 23 and 2li restore all parts to normal position and project both the main latch bolt and the dead locking bolt.

The general idea of providing a dead locking bolt for the purpose of clogging thernain latch bolt of a door lock against depression whenthe door is closed is old (see for instance my former Patent Number 2,250,727, issued July 29, 1941, and entitled Door Latch). However, a structure which permits reversal of the main latch bolt together with the dead latching bolt so that a lock of this type may be installed in right orleft hand hung doors is new and forms the main subject matter of the present application. To permit such reversal the face platevli of the latch bolt housing is rotatably mounted about the outer flanged end ilia of the latch bolt housing it, being retained by an inner plate ila, While the main latch bolt 2b together with the dead latching bolt 3B are rotatably mounted within the outer end of the latch bolt housing ifi. v e

The anchor plate l5 is rigidly secured to the inner end of the housing ld byva projection ld, and the retractor barl 2i extends through a rectangular opening 2 ia formed in the inner end of the housing lll, and are consequently `non-rotatable. The main latch bolt 2Q and the dead latching bolt 363 are made rotatable `with relation -to the anchor plate i5, the retractor 2i, and the cup 2S. The cup is reciprooably mounted within the latch bolt housing but is not rotatable therein. The cup 29 includes two end plates Zea and 29h having rectangular openings 29o therein through which the retractor bar 2l operates. While the cup 29 may move back and forth within the latch bolt housing, it cannot rotate because the retractor bar extends through it.

The retractor bar 2i terminates at its outer end in a split sleeve 2te extending into and rotatably 4 engaging the main latch bolt 2e. An internally expanded collar 20h formed on the sleeve secures the main latch bolt against endwise movement on the retractor bar.

The dead latching bolt 33 is disposed adjacent a flat side 2&0 of the main latch bolt 2G and is guided with relation thereto by a pair of lugs ted formed on the main latch bolt. The deadlatching bolt is thus constrained to rotate in unison with the main latch bolt with respect to and about the axis of the housing lil. The main latch bolt and the dead latching bolt are rotatable as a unit about the split sleeve 2da and the bolt 3i? swings along the rim of the cup 2e when it is necessary to change the position of the bolts to ht a right or left hand door installation.

The'plate de has a rectangular opening formed therein to permit the retractor bar to extend therethrough. The plate is also provided with a hub lieb surrounding the nose Ic formed on the inner end of the anchor plate l5. The plate #it has the function of forming a seat for one end of the springs 23 and 2t. The two end plates 29a and 292) carry hub members 29d and 29e surrounding the spring 253. The cup :2Q serves two functions first that or" controlling the posi- .tion of the clogging lever 25 or of rendering said dogging lever operative or inoperative, and second that of guiding the spring 2G as said spring extends through the hub members 29d and 23e. The hub flb of plate ci) forms a guide for one end of the spring 2li while a lug Zta on the lever extension 28 .forms a guide for the opposite end of the spring so that the spring is positioned normally to urge the dogging lever shoulder 26a to engage the dog 25.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lock structure comprising a housing, a face plate, means for mounting said face plate on said housing for rotation relative to said housingf about an axis passing through said housing, said face plate having an opening therein, a main latch bolt passing through said opening in said face plate, means for mounting said main latch bolt for reciprocation in said housing along said axis, a retractor bar, means for mounting said retractor bar against rotation in said housing about said axis and for movement in a predetermined path, a rotatable connection between said main latch bolt and said retractor bar, a clogging lever, means for mounting said clogging lever in said housing for movement between one position blocking said movement of said retractor bar in said predetermined path and another position permitting said movement of said retractor bar in said predetermined path, a cup in said housing having a rim concentric with said axis, means mounting said cup for reciprocationin said housing in moving contact with said dogging lever, a dead latching bolt passing through said opening in said face plate, and means for mounting said dead latching bolt iorreciprocation in said housing parallel to said axis and for rotation about said axis in abutment with said rim of said cup.

v.2. In a door lock, a housing having an axis, a face plate mounted on the outer end of the housingfor rotation about said axis, a main latch bolt disposed in the housing for rotation about said axis and extending through the face plate for movement in a predetermined path, a dead latching boltdisposed in the housing for rotation about said axis and also extending through the-face Platev for: movement in a predetermined path,

means rotatably connected tothe .main 'latchbolt for retracting; Said main. latch bolt. along said path, means for clogging the retracting means against retraction of the main latch bolt along said path, and anv abutment within saidl housing and disposed in said path of said dead latching bolt in any rotated position thereof for actuating said clogging means.

3. In a door lock, a housing having an axis,y a face plate mountedA on the outer end of the housing for rotation about said axis, a main latch bolt disposed in the housing for rotation about said axis and extending through the face plate for retractive movement relative thereto, a dead latching bolt disposed in the housing for rotation about said axis and also extending through the face plate for retractive movement relative thereto, a retractor bar, a rotatable connection between said bar and said main latch bolt, a dog xed with respect to said housing, a dogging member connected to'said retractor bar and movable into and out of engagement with the dog, and a cup movable within the housing for moving the clogging member with relation to the dog, the rim of said cup being disposed in the path of the dead latching bolt.

4, ln a loch structure, a housing, a main latch bolt, a dead latching bolt, means for mounting said main latch bolt and said dead latching bolt on said housing for reciprocation with respect to said housing and to rotate as a unit about an axis passing through said housing, means for clogging the main latch bolt against said reciprocation,

a iirst pair of surfaces respectively on said main latch bolt and said dogging means and rotatable relative to each other about said axis but constrained against reciprocation relative to each other, means for actuating said. dogging means, and a second pair of surfaces respectively on said dead latching bolt and said actuating means and rotatable relativeto each other about said axis but constrained against reciprocation relative to each other.

5. A lock structure comprising a housing, a face plate having an opening therein, means for mounting said face plate on said housing for rotation about an axis, a main latch bolt passing through said opening in said face plate, means for mounting said main latch bolt for reciprocation in said housing and for rotation about said axis, a retractor bar within said housing, means holding said retractor bar non-rotatable relative to said housing about said axis, a first pair of surfaces respectively on said main latch bolt and said retractor bar and rotatable relative to each other about said axis but constrained against reciprocation relative to each other, a dead latching bolt passing through said opening in said face plate, means for mounting said dead latching bolt for reciprocation in said housing and for rotation about said axis, a dogging mechanism for said retractor bar within said housing, means holding said dogging mechanism non-rotatable about said axis relative to said housing, and a second pair of surfaces respectively on said dead latching bolt and said dogging mechanism and rotatable relative to each other about said axis but constrained against reciprocation relative to each other, one of said second pair of surfaces being arcuate about said axis and being in position to be abutted by the other one of said second pair of surfaces during reciprocationv of said dead latching bolt.

6. A lock structure comprising a housing, a main latch bolt mounted for reciprocation in said ,6 v housingsalong an and for rotation about'sai'd axis,Y a. clogging mechanism forpreventing re-Y ciprocationyof said mainlatchr boltv to a depressed position in said housing, means constraining said clogging mechanism. .against rotation relative to said housing about said axis', a dead latching bolt, means mounting said dead latching bolt for reciprocation relatve tosaid housing in a. direction parallel to said axis and' for motion in an are. about said axis, and means for transmitting motion. between said dead latching bolt and said clogging. mechanism for actuating the latter to dog, saicl'main` latch bolt against reciprocation ,only'when saidv dead latching bolt `depressed in said housing, said motion transmitting means and said deadlatching bolt having parts rotatable relative to each other about said axis for transmitting reciprocation of said dead'latching bolt to said doggingv mechanism. y

7. A lock structure comprising a housing, a main latch bolt, means for mounting said main latch bolt for reciprocation in said housing along an axis and for rotation about said axis, a dead latching bolt, means for mounting said dead latching bolt for reciprocation in said housing parallel to said axis, and said dead latching bolt being mounted for rotary movement about said axis to occupy either one of two positions alongside of said axis, and av clogging mechanism in said housing for preventing said'reciprocation of said main latch bolt, said dogging mechanism including an abutting part disposed in the path of reciprocation of said dead latching bolt in either one of said two positions thereof.

8. In a lock structure, a housing having an axis, a main latch bolt movable with respect to said housing in the direction of said axis and mounted for rotation about saidV axis, a dead latching bolt mounted on said housing to move in an arcuate path around said axis and tomove with respect to said housing in the direction of said axis, and mechanism for clogging the main latch bolt against movement with respect to said housing in the direction of said axis, said mechanism including a member arcuate about said axis and disposed in the path of movement of the dead latching bolt in the direction of said axisffor al1 potions of said dead latching bolt in said arcuate pa 9. In a lock structure, a housing having an axis, a main latch bolt movable with respect to said housing in the direction of said axis and mounted for rotation about said axis, a dead latching bolt mounted on said housing to move in an arcuate path around said axis and to move with respect to said housing in the direction of said axis, means for moving said main latch bolt with respect to said housing in the direction of said axis, means carried by said moving means for dogging the main latch bolt against movement with respect to said housing in the direction or" said axis, and means in said housing and non-rotatable about said axis for actuating said dogging means, said actuating means having a surface engageable by said dead latching bolt in all positions of said dead latching bolt in said arcuate path.

10. A lock structure comprising a housing, a main latch bolt, means mounting said main latch bolt for reciprocation along an axis in said housing and for rotation about said axis, a retractor within said housing, a connection between said retractor and said main latch bolt,

a dead latching bolt, means mounting said deadA said housing and for rotation with respect to said housing about said axis, a dogging mechanism for preventing said reciprocation of said main latch bolt, means for constraining said dogging mechanism against rotation with respect to said housing about said axis, and surfaces respectively on said dogging mechanism and said dead latching bolt disposed in abutting relationship in al1 rotated positions of said dead latching bolt relative to said housing about'said axis for transmitting operating motion from said dead latohing bolt to said dogging mechanism.

ANNA SCI-ILAGE, Executrz of the estate of Walter R. Schlage,

deceased.

8 v References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Voght Dec. l1, 1945 

